This article was downloaded by: [George Mason University] On: 05 September 2013, At: 00:58 Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK Reflective Practice: International and Multidisciplinary Perspectives Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/crep20 A performance of difference Debbie Horsfall a , Donna Bridges a , CatherineCamden Pratt a & Lesley Sammon a a University of Western Sydney, Sydney, Australia Published online: 13 Oct 2010. To cite this article: Debbie Horsfall , Donna Bridges , CatherineCamden Pratt & Lesley Sammon (2004) A performance of difference, Reflective Practice: International and Multidisciplinary Perspectives, 5:1, 91-110, DOI: 10.1080/1462394032000169992 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1462394032000169992 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms- and-conditions
Transcript
This article was downloaded by: [George Mason University]On: 05 September 2013, At: 00:58Publisher: RoutledgeInforma Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registeredoffice: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK
Reflective Practice: International andMultidisciplinary PerspectivesPublication details, including instructions for authors andsubscription information:http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/crep20
A performance of differenceDebbie Horsfall a , Donna Bridges a , CatherineCamden Pratt a &Lesley Sammon aa University of Western Sydney, Sydney, AustraliaPublished online: 13 Oct 2010.
To cite this article: Debbie Horsfall , Donna Bridges , CatherineCamden Pratt & Lesley Sammon(2004) A performance of difference, Reflective Practice: International and MultidisciplinaryPerspectives, 5:1, 91-110, DOI: 10.1080/1462394032000169992
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1462394032000169992
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE
Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the“Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis,our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as tothe accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinionsand views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors,and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Contentshould not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sourcesof information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims,proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoeveror howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to orarising out of the use of the Content.
This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Anysubstantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing,systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms &Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions
A performance of differenceD.HorsfallLot 13 Kanimbla DriveLittle HartleyNSW [email protected] Horsfall,* Donna Bridges, Catherine Camden Pratt& Lesley SammonUniversity of Western Sydney, Sydney, Australia
After so much ‘telling’ I wanted to ‘show’. I used alternative forms of representation:drama, performance pieces, poetry, and finally, … making it my own, writing bothagainst and within its conventions. (Richardson, 1997, p. 3)
The actors/performers
• Approximately 90 people. Age range 18–60; women to men ratio about 2:1.Mixture of Australian and international students. Mixed cultures including Abor-iginal Australian, Anglo Australian, Cambodian, Chinese Australian, Greek Aus-tralian, Thai Australian, Indian, Norwegian, Solomon Islands, VietnameseAustralian. Various sexualities and abilities. For approximately half the castEnglish is their second, third, or fourth language.
• A selected flock of various writers, theorists and previous students.
Setting
A regional university, in the borderlands of suburban Sydney at the foot of the BlueMountains. The action takes place in one of the older ‘flat floor’ classrooms a space whichallows movement. Chairs can be set in rows, groups, separate, circles, a circle—they canface front, sideways, back. There is the possibility of access to the technology of teaching(whiteboard, overhead projector and video) for the audience. People can move in and outof the space, in and out of the room. Curtains and windows can be opened, lights switched
*Corresponding author: School of Applied Social and Human Services, University of WestSydney, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith South DC, NSW 1797, Australia. Email:[email protected]
ISSN 1462-3943 (print)/1470-1103 (online)/04/010091-20 2004 Taylor & Francis LtdDOI: 10/1080.1462394032000169992
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on and off, doors opened or closed. No signs saying ‘lecture in progress please use backentrance’. In short, flexibility, some environmental control, promise of movement.
Act 1: Into the classroom strode the lecturers
People walk in, slightly nervous
Debbie: (aside to the small flock of various writers, theorists and former students) I’mglad you came. I often feel alone in the first class, which is a bit silly. I forget thatwhen I walk into the room, I bring you with me, bracing my practice/position as the‘one who knows—something’.
(Mumblings from various writers, theorists and former students)
Glad to have comeWell, I’ve been dragged kicking and screaming
You do take my stuff out of contextI have better things to do with my time
It’s great to contributeHmmm
I wanted to see if it would be different to last yearJust want to see what you are doing with my stuff
It’s exciting to see other people trying to explore these things experientially.
Debbie, Donna, Catherine and Lesley take their places on centre stage. The various writers,theorists and former students hover slightly off-stage. The audience, wrapped in silence,cloaked in their skins, separate, looks on.
The air holds words, questions, fears, boredom, excitements. A heavy load. Beginningsare made … parts are played.
Debbie: (to the class) Hello. Welcome. Before we begin getting to know each otherand the subject I would like to acknowledge the Dharug people, the traditionalcustodians and owners of the land on which this university is built and on which weare now sitting and standing.
Onto the nitty gritty
Debbie: (Hands out the subject outline to the audience/students) Take some time toread the subject outline. Then get into small groups with one of the tutors, to walkit through.
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Human Ecology—SS105A—Subject Outline
Spring Semester 2000
This subject is a foundation for the Bachelor of Applied Science (Social Ecology), Bachelor ofArts (Social Ecology) and Bachelor of Arts (Tourism) … As a foundation subject it is a broadintroduction to content areas …
Aims/Objectives
Human Ecology uses the concept of ecology as a social metaphor to explore the ways in whichwe humans live, work and play in our ‘natural’ and ‘built’ environments. The focus is onrelationships and connections: our relationships with each other and our environments andwhat effects these relationships might have. There are two major themes, which will beexplored. First, we consider how we are organised by tradition, history, politics, economics,time and the dominant discourses in our society. We then move on to consider ways thatorganisations, communities and individuals can resist this organisation, how we can and dotake ethical actions for change.
Content
• Introduction to concepts of: human ecology; global development;• Exploration of: the relationship between local and global issues; our relationships with the
‘built’ and ‘natural’ worlds; people’s relationships in communities and organisations usingdifference and diversity as organising concepts; how we are organised and how this isembodied;
• Developing an understanding of interlocking oppressions, e.g. racism and sexism;• Exploration of non-government organisations and social movement theory with a focus on
‘fourth sector’ organisations;• Exploring different ways of living, working and playing in the world;• Developing an understanding of, and strategies to take acts of resistance.
Concise statement of topic areas (not subject plan as covered in Section II)Describe the intended outcomes in terms of student learning of knowledge and skills.
Teaching/Learning Strategies and Method of Assessment
There is a strong focus on social learning in this subject. As such, while there will be input fromvarious lectures and speakers, you are encouraged to support each other in your learning anddevelopment of knowledge(s). There is an emphasis on collective and collaborative work inaddition to the more traditional individual assessments.2
Act 2: Debbie’s desire
The audience has formed small groups, each with a tutor. As they work through the outline,Debbie sits outside, with some of the writers, former students and theorists. Debbie smokesa cigarette.
Debbie: (internal monologue) This subject outline is laced with intent. I feel some-what exposed. What if they don’t like it, me? Focus Debbie. What is it you are tryingto do here? Capture the passion. Try and get a bit excited. They will be bored ifyou’re nervous and boring!
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(To the writers, theorists and former students who are sitting with her) Its sounds a bitarrogant, but I wrote this outline and run the class as an act of resistance to theBorg-like machine of bureaucracy, shaping my life in the academy. People in thissubject will get involved, work together and take action. There will be resistance to this.
Judy: (to Debbie) You sound a bit hesitant. Still caught up in wanting them to loveyou?
James: The subject looks quite different to when I did it. What are you trying toachieve now?
Debbie: I want to create an environment and open spaces to do human ecology. Toembody the concepts. I don’t mean field trips! If human ecology is about relation-ships, then lets look at our relationships in the classroom. How are we performingrelationship here and now? If difference and diversity are key concepts then what areour differences, in this room? How does this make life difficult/easy/both?
Judy:3 (throwing her question to the group) If one of the ideas is coexistence and desireof difference/diversity rather than a hierarchy, then how do you do this?
Debbie: Yes. How do you actually do this? How do I use … my authority…? It’s allvery complex.
Denise:4 Shrewsbury helps keep me struggling with this one. “One goal of theliberatory classroom is that members learn to respect each other’s differences ratherthan fear them. Such a perspective is ecological and holistic. The classroom becomesan important place to connect to our roots, our past, and to envision the future”.
Liz and Sue:5 It’s more than that though isn’t it? Breaking Out begins with aconversation about why we wanted to write the book. We begin with a moan.Feminism for many “is something to have nice chats about but not something thatyou do” (1983, pp.1–2). We didn’t want to have a nice little chat about feminism.We suspect you don’t want to have ‘nice chats’ about difference.
Debbie: Yes. I don’t want to just talk about how the world could be otherwise, howwe can resist, in everyday ways, the taken-for-granted-assumptions of this is the wayit is. I want to work towards embodying this in the classroom. I want to encourageand make visible a proliferation of resistances, not ‘oneness’ or ‘unity’.
Alice: But how do you take political action without striving for uniformity based ona politics of exclusion?
Debbie: Perhaps by engaging with the people in the room about how difference hasbeen/is used as the basis of oppressions and dominations. And, how we can possibly
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do ‘otherwise’. Using the classroom space to do and highlight possible coexistence,rather than a hierarchy, of difference. Can the university classroom become a site forcultural democracy?
Act 3: Students script/audience participation: here is what you must do
The students filter back after a short break.
Debbie, Donna, Catherine and Lesley want to focus on the first assessment task due in week6. They stand shuffling various overhead sheets and chatting to the writers, theorists andformer students who have come along today.
Jan:6 (to the class) You know … Within the debates about what is or isn’t emancipa-tory teaching, much of the literature has critiqued either or thinking, calling insteadfor alternative kinds of learning that embrace ambiguity and multiple truth perspec-tives.
Debbie: Thanks Jan. (to the class) bearing these words in mind we’d like to spendsome time talking about, and helping you get ready for the assessment in week 6.Now, just quickly read page 5 of your subject outline again.
(Page 5 of Subject outline…)
Assessment tasks for this subject:
Task 1: Visual presentation/performance. Due week 6, in class
In groups of no more than 10, choose one of the topics listed in your subject plan. It may havealready been covered, or may be one for later but which excites you now.
Subject Plan
Weeks 1–6 Theme: How we are organised
Week 1: Introduction to human ecology and the themesWeek 2: Written on the BodyWeek 3: Living in the Built WorldWeek 4: Working/playing with difference(s)Week 5: Globalisation and the EnvironmentWeek 6: Student Performance Space
Weeks 7–13 Resistance
Week 7: Resistance and Working with CommunitiesWeek 8: Community and the Politics of differenceWeek 9: Interrupting conversationsWeek 10: Community development and the futureWeek 11: Indigenous Australia/anti racism
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Week 12 Open SpaceWeek 13: Review and evaluation
For that topic prepare a visual presentation/performance of the content. You will need toconsider:
• Key ideas• Why you think this is an important topic/issue• Why it is relevant to human ecology• What has informed your knowledge of the topic (experiences, readings, media etc.)• What you want people to know about this topic• An interesting, informative and engaging way to present this topic
You will need to:
Plan, develop and present your work visually, this can include:paintings/collages/photos/drawings/silent play/body sculpture etc. The main purpose here is toconsider how you can inform, challenge and engage people with a topic other than through thewritten word.
Provide a two-page summary and explanation of your work. Included in this summary will be:
• The reasons you chose the topic• An overview of the key ideas• Why it is important within the context of human ecology• Reference to at least four written sources of information. This must be available for people
to read and handed in at the end of the session.
How will this happen?
The whole class time in week 6 will be devoted to this assessment task. You will ‘take over’the room at the beginning of the session and set up your presentation/performance, quickly, inone part of the room. Then, the idea is that you will walk around and look at/engage with theother presentations/performances in the room, to immerse your selves in the experience andtalk to each other about what you have done. Groups may choose to organise some sort offeedback system about their presentation/performance for people to contribute to as theywander around.
Ira:7 (puts his copy of the subject outline down and says to the class) Alternatives are bothalluring and threatening, promising hope, novelty, validation and relief, as well asconflict, loss, risk, responsibility, and the vagaries of the unknown.
Donna: Yes, and encompassed within all of that is fear.
Act 4: The challenge: “do you really know what you are doing, and why?”
Three weeks have passed. The audience is reminded of the upcoming assessment task. Somesense of what is being asked soaks in. The room bursts. Multiple voices struggle and jostlefor clarification, for comfort, for sense to be made…
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Audience chorus:what do you mean?
sounds like chaos to mehow will we do this?
who will be in control?how will we know whose turn it is?makes a change from the usual stuff
what’s the purpose?let me outa here
these women are madthey have no idea how to run a classroom
can’t wait to do thiswhat do they mean ‘not allowed’ to do a verbal presentation?
how can we all go at once?who will organise it?how will this be fair?
what are we talking about?sounds great to me …
Catherine: (slicing through the audience talk) Debbie, this has been done before.Hasn’t it?
Debbie: Yes. What happens is a type of market place. People set up their ‘stalls’.We wander around tasting what’s on offer. It’s colourful and fun.And … well… organised chaos.
Donna: Isn’t it about our learning process? Learning to work together in differentways?
Audience chorus:but why can’t we just speak it?
but will you say whose turn it is?but …but …but …
do you really know what you are doing?
Debbie: Usually what happens in class is that one group gets up and does apresentation, then the next, then the next. This can be drop-dead boring. Especiallywith a group this size. For knowledge/learning to count it doesn’t have to be boring.We want to passionately engage with you in learning and producing knowledge(s).We want to enjoy time in the classroom,
bell:8 For there to be the possibility of joy and pleasure?
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Catherine: Yes. And while we can’t say what you will find joyful or pleasurable wewould like this to be possible for you too.
Debbie: We’re also trying to resist the struggle discourse. This story captures muchof people’s talk of work in social and environmental justice. For people to getinvolved in this type of work it needs to be contagious. Having fun, finding joy andpleasure can make it contagious. Working towards change can be lively, colourfuland fun. We can allow ourselves to enjoy it. (Aside to one of the former studentshovering backstage), do you want to add anything?
Maxine: OK. When our year did this, it worked really well. I didn’t think itwould … had many doubts … and there was a lot of pressure … but, the day wasfantastic.
Debbie: Thanks Maxine. Let’s have a break now and we’ll talk more about thisafter. Let’s say 10 minutes?
During discussion over a quick coffee, Debbie, Donna, Catherine and Lesley agree to do ashort lecture, to provide some theoretical framework for this assessment task and classroompractice. They elicit the help of some of the writers and theorists who are with them.
Act 5: The lecture
Lesley: This is a multi-racial and multi-cultural classroom, in a multi-racial andmulti-cultural country. The dominant race and culture is white, patriarchal, hetero-sexist and Eurocentric. For many of you a language other than English is your firstlanguage. When we ask you, or expect you, to speak in English this advantagespeople whose first language is English; reinforcing white supremacy. And there’s anassumption that we’re all heterosexuals unless we specifically say otherwise which isan example of silencing ‘Others’ differences in sexualities/cultures.
Catherine: Yes, and teaching and learning practices reinforce this! For example,when a group stands out the front and speaks/presents to the class and the teacher,the usual thing, that is a particular cultural practice. It’s embedded in white,patriarchal, heterosexist, eurocentric, educational practices.
Debbie: It’s not about an either/or though. It’s probably useful to learn these moretraditional practices. I wouldn’t say that they have no place at this university. Butthere are other ways of learning. And there are other ways of assessing your learning.This particular assessment task is one strategy for interrupting the usual practices.
Jane:9 And, if we really do our job well, reality will appear even more unstable,complex, and disorderly than it does now.
Donna: Also there are many ‘languages’ other than the spoken word. Sometimes
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the spoken or written word is simply insufficient, or inappropriate, for re-presentingwhat we know. This type of language is so linear and partial.
Pablo:10 I did not know what to say, my mouthhad no waywith names,
Debbie: We’re trying to work against privileging the rational, linear approach toknowledge production. The way it has always been, is not the only way. Or the wayit should always be.
Paulo:11 Learning and knowledge production in universities usually goes like this:the lecturers are the experts. The ones that know. The ones that control theclassroom space. They have the knowledge, which they pass on to you. Youpassively absorb this, by taking notes, reading books, copying down overheads.
Judy: Lurking beneath the smooth surface of this-is-the-way-it-is is the assumptionthat you know nothing. Your life experiences are of no value. Counting for nothingin terms of academic learning.
Debbie: We want to disturb this smooth surface. To use our authority in thisclassroom …
Audrey:12 Removing you from being the objects of teaching to becoming criticalsubjects who can and do act on the world and re-make it.
Debbie: This means you become active participants in the construction of politicalknowledge(s). The culture-making in this room. This means interrupting andresisting the privileged position of us, the teachers. One way of us doing this is togive up the floor/stage for a day. To become the audience.
Donna: Of course, let’s not get too carried away. There are some boundaries here.This is an assessment task and we are still the assessors even if we work against thisby encouraging you to get feedback from each other, to assess your own work andby not giving you a grade for this, or any other, work.
James: So, part of this tries to do resistance. Creatively?
Debbie: Yes, it’s a bit risky. We’re not quite sure what will happen on the day.
William:13 Seems to me as if you are actively trying to break boundaries andstruggle to enter border zones with the realisation that to do otherwise simplymaintains traditional positions of power and authority.
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Elisabeth:14 You know that this type of classroom practice where space is createdfor multiple and diverse of knowledge(s) to be negotiated and re-presented meansthat what happens will be unpredictable and somewhat uncontrollable?
Debbie, Donna, Lesley & Catherine: Yes. And for us, that is vital.
Steven:15 I’d just like to focus on the creative aspects of the task. What we usuallycall creativity involves such factors as intelligence, ability to see the connectionsbetween formerly separated facts, ability to speak out of outmoded mindsets,fearlessness, stamina, playfulness and even outrageousness.
Catherine: Calling up your creativity, stirring your imagination and enticing youroutrageousness actively challenges the way things are. Working towards social andenvironmental justice takes imagination. To move from here, individually and/orcollectively, we need to see, feel and experience how it could be otherwise.
Debbie: Working in the same old way will only re-produce the way it now is.
Audrey:16 Mmm, the master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house.
Donna: If we grasp possibilities and imagined futures we can see ourselves as actorson and in the world. Using our imagination’s to at least start doing some-thing … some everyday acts of resistance.
William:17 And developing a cultural practice of hope where hope, is both alanguage of uncertainty and the precondition for action: it offers neither prescrip-tions nor recipes. Instead it points to the value of discourse whose value lies in whatit suggests about the stirrings of imagination …
Jan:18 Seems that you are working towards embracing and allowing unknowing,openness, fluidity, the unexpected and the unknown.
Lesley: And we’re working towards embracing everyday local actions. Critiquing ofgrand narratives. Bringing a critical, creative and imaginative perspective to re-con-structing what activism and agency could, and sometimes does, look like.
David:19 You know the proliferation of identities and the proliferation of possibili-ties for activism is new. This pluralism, while not necessarily, involving big confron-tations and ideologies, can be effective as it’s a lot harder for the States to get controlof proliferating politics.
Lesley: Appealing! And subversive!
Debbie: Our desire is to provide the space and a structure
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Jan:20 to allow different realities to be simultaneously demonstrated.
Catherine: Performing them is one way of demonstrating different realities, inter-ests, desires, rather than yet another useful, interesting discussion—isn’t it? If youlook at the whole subject outline you’ll see this is one of several strategies. Thereisn’t a single, simple pedagogical strategy for empowerment and liberation. Whatone person may find empowering, another may find oppressive.
Mimi:21 We commit many sins of imposition in the name of liberation.
Debbie: And this assessment task is an imposition. Our desire though is along thelines of what Jan Fook & Bob Pease22 say: “Hearing, recognising and valuingdifference may be the first step towards inspiring people to act collectively”.
Audrey:23 It is not difference whichimmobilises us, but silence.And there are so many silencesto be broken.
Audience chorus (mixture of internal conversations and comments to each other):
That was a huge raveI didn’t really understand much of what they were saying
Now I understand what is going onIt is going to be chaotic
Wow!Sounds mind-blowing
I wish someone would explain this to me simplyI’ll give it a go
Sounds like I don’t have much choiceWho will I work with?
What topic shall I pick?How will I do this?
Did I remind Emma about the concert tickets?Do I really have to work with other people?
Great I get to work with my friendsI’m going to work with some people I don’t know
I’ve got some great ideasWhat am I going to get for dinner tonight?
I think I’ll play musicThere is that stuff I did for that other class, maybe I could use some of that
I didn’t come to university to do this airy-fairy stuffHow is this going to help me get a job?I’d better run, going to miss the train
Great I finally get to have some say in what I want to do and howLet me outa here …
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Lesley: (to Donna, as they leave the room) well, feels like we effectively silenced thestudent voice today.
Donna: Yes … sometimes though it can be useful to do a more traditional lecture.
Act 5: In the market place
Multi-layered, multi-texted performances
It is week 6, a sunny afternoon. The audience, arriving early, have taken over the stagedividing it into various sections recreating the world, defying order and breaking theconventional apart. Sets have been brought in and placed. Groups of audience/actors waitexpectantly for the curtain to rise. The air is laden with smells of food. Music weaves acrossthe room. Colour and shape mingle. Excitement and uncertainty seep under the cracks inthe door.
Debbie, Donna, Lesley, Catherine and theorists, writers and previous students enter theroom ….
Iris:24 (To Debbie as they are walking through the door) Contemporary humanityspeaks in many voices and we now know that it will do so for a very long time tocome. The central issue of our times is how to re-forge that polyphony into harmonyand prevent it degenerating into cacophony. Harmony is not uniformity; it is alwaysan interplay of a number of different motifs each retaining its separate identity andsustaining the resulting melody through, and thanks to, that identity.
Debbie: (To Iris while crossing her fingers behind her back) Let’s see if some sort ofharmony is achieved in this moment, in this room today. (Internal conversation): Shesounds so clear. And right. Forthright. Academic. I hope this isn’t too wacky for her.
The energy, the buzz of excitement and anticipation was overwhelming. It enveloped peopleas they entered the room. The strains of the melody, tentative, uncertain, shy, began toweave the relationships and actions in the room. Something astonishing and remarkablewas happening.
Catherine: (loudly to the group) Hey, this is human ecology in action!
Ninety people performing ‘Written on the Body, Living in the Built World, Working/play-ing with difference(s) Globalisation and the Environment, Interrupting Conversations,Anti Racism, Open Space’.
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A performance of difference 103
Audience chorus: displays and performs …
Musica dinner party,a fashion show‘immigration’
a picnica sculpture
empty space filled with chairs and orangesbillboards and posters
photographscollages
dress-upsartifactsbodiesvideospoemsbooks
costumesthe written word
laughter.
The classroom transformed into an amazing, startling collage. Creatively and energeticallyre-made into a colourful, informative, educational marketplace.
The Audience chorus: displays and performs …
Tatoo drenched torso,Mapping the story with photos and notes
Female body packaged in gladwrapDraped in cuts of meat
Shapeshifting WomenBulldozers, Men in Black, a forest
Arresting the spaceBound in reverse garbage
Shouting ‘fuck’ in this Age of InterruptionClothed in a shy pride
Multicoloured, mutli-layered fabricsAnnouncing cultural identities
Macdonald’s detritusof the global multi-lingual multi-layered multi-cultured
picnic laughter left behind
Tai chi-ingCatwalking
Body painting.
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Act 7: Tell me, what did they think?
Debbie’s office. Debbie, Donna, Catherine and Lesley lounge on the floor reading throughtoday’s 5-minute papers.25
Catherine: Listen to this one: “If you ask me today was a huge success! The roomslooked as if they were a United Nations flea market, but here was no sign of hatred,war or disgust, only acceptance of difference”.
Debbie: It’s good that some of the ‘sceptics’ were open to the process. “Thingsseemed a little confused at the beginning—then like following chaos things startedfalling into place and different groups took the initiative to start …The interpreta-tions were amazing … It was over too quickly”. Here’s another one: “I have to admitI was a bit sceptical as to how it would work … I was very surprised at the differencein the acts—there was so much variety”. “Whoever said it was gonna be like amarket stall was RIGHT! … so Debbie, the chaos thing really does work. You wereright about that!” (smiling) I do love it when someone thinks I’m right.
Donna: Some people say they missed some of the meanings … and some, well afew, still felt that they should have taken turns: “I will just say again that it shouldhave been done one by one”. (pause). I think it was a little confronting for one ortwo students. Listen: “I thought it was a bit over the top and rude … but I think theentire afternoon was a great success” and “I really didn’t like the one about tattooingand I especially didn’t like the girl who was dressed in meat and plastic wrap”.
Catherine: But then you get someone who really got it, I mean really got it … “Myidealistic wish is that every lecture could contain a little of the magic that happenedhere today. Such diversity of learning through storytelling, song, dance and food isnot only spine-tingling and mind numbing but lots of fun. The diversity containedwithin the classroom today was equalled by the imagination and enthusiasm thateach individual performance put forth … Such arresting images—a girl wearingmeat…a bowl of spilt oranges—stunted conversations—yoga in unison—tai chi—food from the world—Pink Floyd and politics”.
Lesley: Someone says it was “one of the best lessons of my life”.
Debbie: I think it might have been, well, a change from listening to us. Not that weever ‘stand and deliver’, not often. “Instead of writing we had a practical exercisewhich helped a lot of us understand some issues” …“I particularly enjoyed thelesson. We were able to escape from the usual experience of lectures, from justlistening to actively getting involved and participating in an activity. The mood inthe room seemed completely different and everyone seemed to be enjoying them-selves … I actually know everyone was looking forward to this and our group evenenjoyed meeting up and preparing”. There are a few people who say they enjoyed
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the group work, I haven’t read one yet complaining of the group stuff. Have you?Look, here’s another good one: “The group process was extremely beneficial forclarifying the way I feel about the body … Witnessing the creativity, compassion andvigour in the way other groups presented their ideas was highly enjoyable … veryconducive to the imagination, interaction and the creative sharing of ideas”.
Catherine: There was the one group that wasn’t a group. That person felt a bitrejected.
Donna: Yeah. I’m giving feedback on that one. It was quite good. But … well …
Catherine: Here’s another one “Today couldn’t have been more (sic) worse andconfronting for me if it tried. I was having a really hard time with what my group wasdoing and eventually had to decide to not take part in the performance”. But eventhis person got something out the session: “I enjoyed group three’s performance,written on the body, fantastic”.
Lesley: There are a couple that are not so positive.
Debbie: Things we might not want to hear.
Lesley: “I’m told that we upset a couple of people with our ‘fuck’”…
They sit quietly for a few minutes, shuffling through and reading the papers.
Debbie: I’ve noticed that quite a few people focused on what they learnt, as well ashaving a good time. “I leant a lot from the performances and the literature … I learnta lot more about our topic, globalisation, after the research of the exercise”. “Thisproject helped me learn about the different topics and issues in a fun way that I don’tthink I could learn this well … today was a great learning experience”. And “I waswoken up to the many various and different aspects of global issues from racism todeforestation. I now have a better understanding of these issues. To be moreacceptable (sic) towards people’s individuality, and also to question things that havebeen accepted for generations, e.g. racism and the way women are seen in the eye(sic) of men”. I think overall, it worked. Raised some issues. People were engaged.“It made me think about the issue that had been raised. I found this exercisefascinating because we were able to explore cultures within Australia and howsociety affects them”.
Lesley: Quite a few mentioned the difference thing too. “Each group brought a littlebit of difference to the table … it helped me to sort of highlight my personality, andat the same time, it helped me to better know all my classmates as well as theirculture”… mainly different cultures. Oh, and different perceptions. “Watching allthe presentations it really opened up my eyes to all the different perceptions thatpeople have about our community”.
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Donna: It touched a cord, a personal story for some “I especially enjoyed theimmigration department group, it was very funny and true (I can say)”. I wonderwhy they put the “I can say” in brackets?
Debbie starts closing the office up. It’s been a long day. Donna has wandered off down thecorridor. Lesley is putting the 5-minute papers in a pile.
Catherine: (still clinging to some of the papers) This one I love. “Today is very goodday … Each groups have student come from different culture. So that they broughtup difference from their culture. This included traditional clothes and traditionaldancing and so on. I wish to be like this every day”. And this one too. This personsays it in an interesting way: “Today seemed like a social experiment that containedmoments of brilliance splashed with colour and imagination. The expectations ofperformance remained lingering in open space. We are time travellers how we dothis is a product of our environment”. Wonder what they mean by social exper-iment … puts remaining papers in Lesley’s neat pile. Debbie picks them up and puts themin the file, a large brown envelope. She smiles.
Debbie: Well, it is a system. Sort of. Overall great feedback. Come on. Let’s gohome. And … thanks for your help, its been great.Exit
Act 8: On reflection …
It is the end of the teaching semester. Debbie, Catherine, Donna and Lesley are sitting ina local cafe talking and planning for next year. The talk turns to the performance…
Debbie: What did you think? Any changes? (pause) Did we de-centre ‘the one whoknows’ and allow creativity, imagination and diversity to take centre stage. Andsomehow show that difference is complex and multi layered?
Catherine: I loved how the body came into play in surprising, and challengingways. Bodies used as texts. As a creative force for challenging and changing the wayknowledges are produced and represented. Remember how Peter’s tattooed bodyshowed his ideological history and how he challenged the ways in which ourideologies can change over time and no one need know—how we can hide this? Um,perhaps we could have collectively reflected on it more. In the next class? I wouldhave liked to have talked about it. Got more reactions.
Donna: There was space for diversity and differences. For them to be visiblyapparent. For people to engage how and if they wished. Not a problem basedapproach. A creative approach.
Debbie: I hoped to create spaces for the beginning of a ‘coalition politics.26 Peoplecoming together to work towards a particular task. Without striving for unity of
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identity, or focusing on sameness. Some of this people also did pick up in their Actsof Resistance project.
Donna: But the ‘common ground’ became the task. People completed the task ina variety of ways. All at the same time. There were no hierarchies and linearstructures.
Adrienne:28 (walking past to pay her bill overhears the talk and interrupts, smilingly andpassionately) Yes, it is well past time to move on from the ludicrous and fruitlessgame of ‘hierarchies of oppression’, which has the savour of medieval theology.
Lesley: And doing this meant that a different sort of public space was created. Onethat encouraged play. Fantasy. Desire. And enabled exchanges of interests, mean-ings, stories,
Catherine: and talents, food, feelings. Do you think we managed to minimise ourmediation, our coercive practices?
Lesley: The space is never entirely free of coercion is it? There is no benign gaze,is there? We were the institutional authority in the room. Students were aware of ourpresence, which shaped their behaviours in a variety of ways
Aileen:28 (who had been following the process throughout the semester, but had not yetspoken. She was sitting at the table getting slightly frustrated) especially as to me youseem to represent white middle-class feminists, the majority of whose practice andtheory has been incredibly racist.
Lesley: (internal monologue) Hmph! I don’t think that’s what I re-present. Or any ofthe others. I know Catherine would definitely problematise that! I work consistentlyat being a ‘race’ traitor, to destabilise the middle class white feminisms you speak of.
Aileen:29 Finding ways to put a politics of difference into practice will require more.It requires white race privilege to be owned and challenged by feminists engaged inanti-racist pedagogy and politics … and the real challenge for white feminists is totheorise the relinquishment of power so that feminist practice can contribute tochanging the racial order.
Debbie: So, nice try girls. But there is more work to do.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Moira Carmody for unknowingly giving us the idea of writing this as a
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play; Andy Horsfall for continuous creative input and Susan Ambler for reading itas a real play, being excited and giving valuable feedback.
Thanks to the following people for permission to use exerts from their 5-minutepapers: Diane Bahmad, Natalie Bogg, Verity Brookes, Meg Buchecker, TanjaDusper, Sarvenaz Ghahreman, Asal Gholam-Hossein, Cazz Gollan, MangaHalvorsen, Lyndall Hemara, Quang Hoang, Emel Kaye, Rina Langenberg, PeterLudwig, Kevin Mackenzie, Catherine Mcintosh, Olympia Pecanac, Skye Rivett,Michelle Sanders, Genevieve Soeparto, Sath Song, Sue Wall.
Notes on contributors
Debbie Horsfall is a senior lecturer at the University of Western Sydney where sheteaches and researches in the areas of ‘doing’ community, culture and identity,feminisms and community activism. She is particularly interested in practiceswhich work against sexism, racism and other types of oppressions. She iscurrently enjoying exploring creativity and imagination in community, educa-tional and research work and creative ways of representing knowledge.
Donna Bridges is a PhD candidate with the University of Western Sydney. She iscurrently in the final stages of research exploring women’s integration into theAustralian Defence Force, with specific focus on combat and peacekeepingroles. Her work draws on feminist theory especially where that theory providesa framework for ‘singing-up’ the voices of women.
Catherine Camden Pratt is an educator with 20 years’ experience in a wide varietyof educational settings from running state-wide professional developmenttraining for welfare organisations, to classroom teaching in public and alterna-tive educational communities. She worked in the NSW Department of Edu-cation and Training schools supporting school communities in implementingthe NSW Aboriginal Education Policy. As Itinerant Support Teacher Behav-iour, she worked with students with autism and their school communitiessupporting student needs. She lectures in Teaching, Learning and Pedagogy atUniversity of Western Sydney and also teaches in the Social Ecology pro-gramme. Her interests include using arts informed practices in pedagogies,research methods and research representations as a means of enlarging episte-mologies.
Lesley Sammon currently works with the University of Western Sydney as a doctoralresearch candidate and a casual associate lecturer in Indigenous Studies. Herteaching and researching is in the areas of feminisms, anti-racism activism,unmasking whiteness/privilege and ‘doing’ communities.
Notes
1. Such categories are problematic for the authors. For the sake of this paper the categoriesmentioned were considered necessary in terms of race, educational and employmentprivilege.
2. Such excerpts have been altered only in terms of form, so that they may be less clumsilywoven into this text.
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3. Pinn & Horsfall (2000).4. Shrewsbury, (1993, p. 8) in Dalaimo (p. 6).5. Stanley & Wise (1983, pp. 1–2).6. Mittman (1997, p. 2).7. Shor (1996, p. 62).8. hooks (1994, p.154).9. Flax (1990, p. 57) in Mittman (1997, p. 8).
10. Neruda, in Tarn (1975, p. 217).11. Freire (1972).12. Thompson & Gitlin (1995).13. Tierney (1994, p. 29).14. Ellsworth, in Mittman (1997, p. 6).15. Nachmanavitch (1990, p. 184).16. Lorde (1984).17. Tierney (1993, p. xi).18. Mittman (1997).19. Watt (1990, p. 9).20. Mittman, (1997, p. 12).21. Orner (1992, p. 77).22. Fook & Pease (1999, p. 226).23. Lorde (1984, p. 44).24. Young (1993, p. 284) in Dalaimo, (pp. 7–8).25. At the end of each class, students handed in a quick, written reflection about the class,
called 5-minute papers to reflect the amount of time to be devoted to them. Students couldchoose to put their name and/or student numbers on the papers. Permission has been givenfor extracts used.
26. Reagon (1983) in: Moreton-Robinson (2000).27. Rich (1979, p. 289).28. Moreton-Robinson (2000, p. 149).29. Moreton-Robinson (2000, pp. 149 & 186).
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